Objective To investigate the impacts of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and on operation procedure and the significance of prognosis. Methods The expression of IGF-1R in 40 patients with breast cancer before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was measured by immunohistochemistry. The diagnosis was proved by core biopsy. All the patients took the TAC chemotherapy regimen. Modified radical operation was performed after two chemotherapy cycles and the IGF-1R expression was measured again. The clinical effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was assessed according to WHO criterion by measuring the size of tumor by physical examination and B type ultrasound. Results After neoadjuvant chemotherapy the tumor size shrank in 29 patients, there was no CR (complete response) or PD (progressed disease) to be documented. IGF-1R expression could be downregulated in 25 patients. Conclusion Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can inhibit the tumor growth by downregulation of the expression of IGF-1R.
Objective To investigate clinical significance of serum VEGF-C level and C-erbB-2 protein expression in patients with breast cancer. Methods Sixty-two female patients with breast invasive ductal cancer and breast benign lesion were respectively selected. Serum VEGF-C level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before operation and at one month after operation, and C-erbB-2 protein expression in tissues of breast cancer was detected by immunohistochemistry. Then, the relationship between serum VEGF-C level and clinicopathologic characteristics and C-erbB-2 protein expressions wereas analyzed. Results The serum VEGF-C level before operation in breast cancer patients〔(279.65±17.34) pg/ml〕 was significantly higher than that in breast benign lesions patients 〔(167.26±12.15) pg/ml〕, P＜0.01. In breast cancer patients, the serum VEGF-C level before operation was higher than that at one month after operation 〔(209.45±15.23) pg/ml〕, P＜0.01. The serum VEGF level was related to tumor stage (P＜0.05) but not to patient age, tumor size, menopause status , lymph node metastasis or not and ER and PR expression (Pgt;0.05). The positive expression rate of C-erbB-2 protein in breast cancer patients (54.84%, 34/62) was significantly higher than that in breast benign lesion patients (11.29%, 7/62), P＜0.01. Moreover, the positive expression rate of C-erbB-2 protein in breast cancer patients with axilla lymph node metastasis (69.44%) was significantly higher than that without axilla lymph node metastases (34.62%), P＜0.05. The serum VEGF level increased with increasing expression intensity of C-erbB-2 protein and there was positive correlation between them (r=0.813，P＜0.05). Conclusions The serum VEGF-C level in breast cancer may be conducted as an assisted marker to differential diagnosis of breast tumor. C-erbB-2 is related to lymph node metastasis of breast cancer patients. There is synergistic effect between VEGF-C and C-erbB-2 in the lymph node metastasis way of breast cancer.
Objective To establish a stable colorectal cancer model in liver specific insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 deficient (LID) mice and examine the potential relationship between IGF-1 level and risk of mice constitutional colorectal cancer. Methods ①Establishment of a colorectal cancer model: The LID mice, in which IGF-1 level in circulation was 25% of BALB/c mice. Induction of colorectal cancer was achieved by using the 1,1 Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) with hypodermic injection at transverse part. ②Eighty fresh samples of cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were obtained from LID mice (experimental group) and BALB/c mice (control group). The expression of IGF-1 was studied by immunohistochemical assay (SP method). Results ①Weight loss occurred in both experimental group and control group after injection. Compared with the body weight before injection on 18 weeks and 24 weeks in each group, there were significant differences after injection at the same phase in each group (P＜0.05). ②The results of IGF-1 expression in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues: IGF-1 got a diffuse distribution in cancer cell cytoplasm. The positive expressions of IGF-1 in the cancer tissues and their adjacent cancer tissues were 6/7, 2/7 and 13/16, 7/16 respectively in experimental group and control group. There were significant differences between the cancer tissues and adjacent tissues inside both groups (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences inside both of cancer tissues and adjacent tissues respectively between experimental group and control group (Pgt;0.05). Conclusion In the established colorectal cancer model by DMH, IGF-1 plays an important role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer.
Objective To determine the effect of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on angiogenesis in mouse breast cancer model of lower and normal serum IGF-1 levels after using angiogenesis inhibitor ginsenoside Rg3 （GS Rg3）. Methods The breast cancer models were established in control mice and liver specific IGF-1 deficient (LID) mice by feeding DMBA and were treated with GS Rg3. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and F8-RAg were detected by immunohistochemical method in breast cancer tissues. IGF-1 gene and angiogenesis relating genes were detected by gene chip in breast cancer and normal breast tissue. Results The incidence rate of breast cancer in LID mice was lower than that in control mice (P＜0.05). VEGF expression and microvessel density of LID mice were lower than those in control mice (P＜0.05). Compared to the control mice, IGF-1, FGF-1, TGF-β1 and HGF genes were increased, and FGFR-2, PDGF-A and PDGF-B genes were decreased in breast cancer of LID mice. After GS Rg3 treatment, VEGFa, EGF, EGFR, PDGF-A and FGFR-2 genes were increased, IGF-1 and TGF-β1 genes were decreased in breast cancer of LID mice compared with the control mice. Conclusion IGF-1 may be involved in mouse breast cancer progression and associated with the growth of blood vessels. Angiogenesis inhibitor may play an antitumor role by IGF-1 and TGF-β1.